Fighting Fire And Evil
by SandyJPhoenix
Summary: "Huge forest fires devastate massive expanses of the Northern Costa Brava. Suspected involvement of Kullervo's forces" read the article. Summoned to Spain for some fire and Evil fighting, Alex and her mentor are in for one of the most dangerous, exciting and probably randomest weeks of their lives! Reviews very much appreciated! ;)
1. 1 - I discover the reason for my holiday

**_Disclaimer - Companions Quartet belongs completely to the amazing Julia Golding!_**

**_There are a few things I've invented - like human companions being able to use the powers of their companion without them being in an encounter. For example, as a phoenix companion, Alex is able to conjure fire._**

**_I hope_********_you will enjoy this story! (and review it!)_**

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I jig my knees up and down, and chew my fingers in anticipation, as my mum drives me to Red Barn Farm. Red Barn Farm is, to most people's knowledge, a small riding school where I go for fortnightly riding lessons on a grumpy part-thoroughbred called Cleddie. However, to those few special people like me, my best friend Izzy, and my mentor Amanda, Red Barn Farm is much more. It is a SPMC centre (Society for the Protection of Mythical Creatures, or more commonly referred to as just The Society) where we go to meet our companions, train, and hold meetings.

Amanda and I are phoenix companions, and Izzy a dragon companion.

My special companion is Firewater. Most of him is normal Phoenix coloured; yellow beak, orange and red wings and body, but what makes him special, and gives him the "water" part of his name, is his lazuli blue tail. I think he's beautiful, but then I would. He's my companion.  
Amanda is my mentor, meaning that she trains me, and teaches me everything I need to know about our companion species, so that one day, I can be a mentor too. She has chocolate-brown, wavy hair that reaches about half way down her back, darkish skin, and eyes that match her hair. In fact, she probably looks about as little like me as is possible.

I have shoulder-length, straight blonde hair, blue-green eyes, and pale skin. The only physical similarity between us is probably that we're both tall.

The reason I'm so excited, is that I'm going to Spain with Amanda, her companion Sunset, and Firewater. There, we're meeting an old friend of Amanda's called Tara, and the girl she mentors, Katya. Marj, chair of our chapter of the Society decided it, so that's what we're doing. They're French, but luckily both speak good English.

My mum pulls into the drive, and I leap out to open the gate.

In the small, gravely car park at the end of the track, stand Izzy, Amanda, Marj and several other people, most of which I know.

I run over to them, "Hey!"

"Hi!" they all chorus.

"You're not _all_ coming to Spain, are you?" I query.

Claire, Izzy's mentor, laughs. "No, we're all going to Antigua! I found some cheap flights, and a nice hotel by the beach. And it's right near where the rare dragons live, and we'll be near Montserrat!" What Montserrat has to do with anything is beyond me, but I know if I ask, Claire will go all technical and dragon-y on me.

"Wow, epic!" I reply.

"I know, right!" Izzy bounces up and down on the spot.

"We'd better be getting off then!" Decides Amanda, opening her car door - a navy-blue Citroen that I've seen her in a couple of times. My mum helps me load my stuff into the boot, before hugging me tightly.

"Have fun!" she says in a half-nervous, half-excited way, that I know means she doesn't really want to let me go. It took me weeks to persuade her. Amanda was really worried that I wouldn't be allowed.

"I will! Love you lots!" I reply, and kiss her goodbye.

Izzy and company clamber into a large, silver, seven-seater. I wave as my mum drives off back down the driveway, and Claire turns the car to follow her.

"Have fun in Antigua! And remember to e-mail, Izzy!" I call.

"I will! And send a post-card!" She yells back. I hi-five her through the car window as Claire pulls past where I stand.

"Will do! Send one too!" Although we both know post-cards are pointless when we'll get back before they do, we want to send them anyway. You can't go on holiday without sending your best friend a post-card!

"Sure thing! See you!"

"Bye!"

It's oddly quiet now they've all gone, and I lean against the car out of breath from all the shouting of goodbyes. Amanda comes to lean beside me

"I hope Faye hurries up," she sighs.

"Oh, is she coming to Spain?" I query. Faye is a storm-bird companion, and also my drama teacher. Our chapter is very lucky to have her. Storm-bird companions are rare – very rare!

"Yes, she's coming to share the driving, then she's staying with friends. Faye? Camping? I don't think so!"

"Cool," I nod. I like Faye, she's always a lot of fun. As my drama teacher, she can come across as a little scary at times, she never hesitates to yell at us if we talk too long. But as a member of the society, she's always really cheerful.

At that moment, a small purple car pulls up opposite from ours, and Faye leaps out, followed by a tall, handsome young man.

"Sorry I'm a bit late!" she gasps.

"And about time!" Amanda teases. Faye throws open her boot, and together we haul all of her luggage into Amanda's car.

"Yeah," Faye continues from her previous comment. "We got stuck behind a flock of learner motorbikes!" At this I get the giggles; the thought of a 'flock' of learner motor-bikers on the Main Road is just so funny!

"It was hilarious," the man adds. "They were all too scared to go much more than thirty!"

"I call it annoying!" grumbles Faye.

Once we've got all of the stuff in Amanda's car, we flop down on the fence for a rest.

"I don't think I've introduced you to my boyfriend, Alex." Faye says. Um, _awkward!_ I've never been in the situation of having to be introduced to a teacher's boyfriend before. It's not one I'd like to be in again either! "Well, this is Jacob! Jacob, this is Alex."

"Nice to meet you!" he holds out his hand for me to shake. I take it.

"And you!" I smile, not too awkward any more, since he seems really nice.

"I didn't know you were coming!" Amanda comments from inside the car where she's laying out my sleeping bag for me to sit on. I get the Duvet Seat, as normal.

"Oh, don't worry, I'm not!" he smiles. "I'm going to Canada with James and Molly." Then seeing my confusion, he adds, "James is my mentoree, and Lucy is my sister-in-law. James and I are centaur companions, and Molly is a Siren companion, but she wanted to come anyway!"

"Cool! Have fun!" I smile.

"Thanks! We will, we're -"

"You mean all this stuff is Faye's!" Exclaims Amanda disbelievingly.

"It's not that much," Faye defends herself.

"Yes it is!" argues Amanda.

I decide to stop them arguing. "It doesn't matter, guys! It all fits! And anyway," I continue, "we should be getting going!"

Amanda sighs, "you're right, Alex! But we're not actually _going_ yet, as such. The ferry is at eight thirty two!"

"Very specific!" Jacob jokes.

"Yes!" Amanda continues. "So I promised we'd help Marj with some stuff all day!"

Faye and I groan. "In what way?" Faye asks.

"Alex, you're on horse duty," maybe this won't be as bad as I thought, "Faye, you're helping Debbie with some finance, and I am going to help Richard and Marj with some planning! Fun times, right?"

"I'm ecstatic," I say sarcastically.

"Good," says Amanda playing along with my sarcasm, "you won't mind helping Hollie clean tack then! She's waiting for you in the yard!"

"See you then!" I say, resigning myself to a hard day of scrubbing tack. "Bye Jacob! Nice meeting you!"

"And you!" He calls, as he starts preparing to leave.

The day goes boringly, but smoothly. Hollie, a Pegasus companion, and I always get along well, even though she's two years older than me, and we get the tack done relatively fast. We have lunch with equally bored looking mentors at two, and Hollie is allowed to stay for the meeting afterwards. I'm thrown out, being considered too young at fourteen to "understand", according to Marj anyway.

Seeing that Pepper is first on the list of ponies to be ridden that afternoon, I fetch him from his stable, and groom him until he gleams.

"You look beautiful!" I complement him. He swishes his tail at me. Not sure what that means in pony speak, probably that he had a fly on his bottom, and doesn't care in the slightest how he looks!

Hollie returns with Marj two hours or so later, and Marj takes Pepper to the arena to be ridden. I silently pity "Jessica Miles" who is riding him. Pepper is famously a _nightmare_!

Hollie then proceeds to relay to me the complete contents of the meeting, which happens to include the reason for me going to Spain. She hands me a copy of a society newspaper that had been discussed. I read the headline, and introductory paragraph.

_**Devastating forest fires sweep Northern areas of the Costa Brava, Spain. Suspected involvement of remnants of Kullervo's forces.**_

_Huge expanses of Mediterranean Forestland have burnt so far this summer, with even more fires forecast. The blazes have been put down to the high temperatures and lack of rain, but local society chapters suspect a more sinister cause. Many of Kullervo's forces fled to the nearby Pyrenees mountains, and although they have stayed relatively quiet, Elias Velasco, Society leader for Catalunia, suspects their involvement. We would like to appeal to all creatures and companions listed over-leaf, to, if possible, be on hand to help if this situation develops. We would appreciate one companion and creature from each chapter. __Continued on page 3._

Scribbled below in Marj's handwriting is the list of companion creatures being summoned, and who she wants to go.

_Golden Dragon, Phoenix, Storm-Bird, Weather Giant, Fire Imp, Water Sprite, Sylph, Wood Sprite, Frost Wolf, Unicorn_

_Phoenix - __Amanda and Alex, Storm-Bird - Faye_

"Well that explains our surprise holiday, then!" I comment. "Amanda never mentioned all this!"

"She didn't know," Hollie tells me. "Marj and Richard only told us today."

"Right!" I continue with Pepper, not that interested any more. After all, it's not like I'm going to be allowed to do any fire-fighting! That will all be left to the adults, and I'll be told _It's not safe for you!_

Eventually, everything is done - all the tack, grooming, and meetings - and we gather in the car park with intention to set off.

The adults still look fed-up, so I try to think of a witty comment to make. I fail. We just stand there, leaning against the fence of the arena, waiting while Richard and Amanda continue to discuss whether we have all the correct supplies for our trip.

"Er, guys?" I put in a couple of minutes later when still none of them have made any sign we might be going. "Don't we have a ferry to catch?"

Amanda pretends to moan, but she knows I'm right. Faye, Amanda and I squeeze into the car, saying goodbye to everyone as we go. They hang around to wave us off, and then we're on our way. Amanda drives first, and I wave until the others are out of sight.


	2. 2 - Beginning of the Journey

_**H**i** readers! Sorry for the delays in uploading! (I mean, I only have THREE essays to write! ;D) I hope you enjoy and review! :)**_

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I gaze out of the window, watching my town pass outside. It suddenly feels like I won't see it for ages, though in reality, it will only be a week. I think about what Izzy will be doing at this moment. Probably having a lot more fun than me, with three others her age in the car with her, (or probably aeroplane by now) and no mortal peril to worry about.

In the front, Amanda and Faye are chatting about teaching unions. Could they find a more boring topic? I decide not to ask though, just in case they can. I rest my head on the heap of stuff beside me, and carry on daydreaming.

.

When I wake up, we're already at the ferry terminal. Amanda woke me because we need our passports.

"How do you sleep in cars, Alex?" Faye asks disbelievingly, looking envious.

"Easy! You two were being boring enough!" I tease.

They both laugh, and I pull my passport from my hand luggage.

We stop at the English border control to show them. The man in the booth nods, hands them back, and we continue through to the French border control. No one bothers to check there, and the barrier opens itself as we approach.

.

We don't have to wait too long to board the ferry. We're put on an earlier one, which saves us a lot of time.

"_Qu'elle heure est il_?" I enquire in French.

"Huh?" Faye looks utterly baffled, as does Amanda, from which I gather that neither of them speak French. This could be interesting then!

"The time? Honestly, don't you speak _any_ French at all?"

"Seven o'clock, and none!" Amanda says decisively.

"Me neither, and it's one minute past!" adds Faye.

"Great!" I say sarcastically. "Lucky I'm doing it as a GCSE then, isn't it?" They laugh and agree, but then our line begins to board, and we stop talking.

.

We take seats in a large café with a sea view. For now, all we can see is the harbour, but later we might be able to see France approaching. I stretch luxuriously on the leather sofa-bench, leaning back against Amanda. I stretch further, and she comes into view the wrong way up, grinning.

"We're going to Spain!" I chant happily. Even if it is for sinister reasons, we're still going on holiday!

"I know right!" Amanda laughs. I twist the correct way up again, and do a sort of seated victory dance with Amanda, getting us disapproving looks from Faye. Amanda mimes yawing, and gestures to Faye. She ignores us with as much dignity as possible.

"So boring, Faye!" I laugh.

The safety announcements are called out, and then we're off. As the ferry moves out into open water, we buy some food. I have a cheese and ham toastie and a smoothie, which are delicious! Amanda and Faye both have pasta and a coffee.

"I don't like ferries," grumbles Faye a few minutes later.

"Me neither!" I laugh, "I almost always feel sea-sick!" I pause a moment, for effect. "Lets go on deck!"

"Good idea!" agrees Amanda, following me. Faye moans that she doesn't feel like it, but she comes anyway!

.

It's cold out on deck, and starting to get dark. The wind whips sea-spray around us, and Amanda and I can barely see because of the way our hair is tossed about. Faye had the fore-sight to tie hers back. I shove mine down the back of my hoodie, which isn't too successful as the short bits don't reach!

I lean on the railings, gazing down at the choppy sea in something that is almost awe. It must be so deep here, I wonder what lies at the bottom? Kraken maybe? To look at the sea this evening, you wouldn't think that this was considered 'moderate'.

Faye and Amanda come to lean beside me, and together we watch the sky change from pale blue-grey, through pinky-red, into deep navy, the same colour as the sea. Gazing back the way we have come, I can still just see the White Cliffs of Dover, standing out brilliant white against the rest of the dark shadow. Along the coast, the lights of two towns that I assume to be Dover and Folkstone, shine brightly too. Then I turn my eyes from my own country, and look towards mainland Europe.

I can just see the lights of what might be Calais, or might be another ship. I pretend it's Calais, and excitement bubbles inside me. _Holiday_!I remind myself that it's going to be dangerous, but it doesn't stop the excitement!

If I look very carefully at the sea, it seems I can see the indistinct outlines of tiny people. Sea sprites. They seem to be going about their daily lives, and the ferry is obviously a part of it. At least these creatures have learnt to accept human activity, though that doesn't make it fair, or right, or mean that they will forever.

Then from beside me, Amanda starts to complain that she's cold, and the spell of excitement and magic is broken. I'm shivering too, but I don't care. Faye surprises me by being on my side. Apparently the cool air makes her feel better. I have to say, I agree.

After about five minutes though, it starts to rain, and although _I _would have loved to stay out in it (other people are!), I'm outvoted!

.

We go back to another café, and sit down on some comfy settees. I sit next to Amanda, and Faye sits opposite us. Getting out my book, one I have to read for my grade three theory, I settle down for the rest of the journey to learn about Phoenix and the Society. Opposite, Faye curls up and goes to sleep. Amanda, after shifting restlessly for a while, pulls her knees up to her chest, and presently falls asleep too. I guess they do have a very long drive ahead.

Half an hour or so later, I put down my book, feeling very grown up, to listen to the departure announcements. The general hubbub that follows, wakes Amanda and Faye, both of whom still look tired.

"Nice sleep?" I inquire.

"Delightful!" says Amanda sarcastically, though she's smiling. "I dreamt that you and Izzy played salsa music in the arena at Red Barn Farm!"

.

We are in the line of cars on the ferry, waiting to drive out. Amanda is preparing to drive for another slot, because she's woken up more than Faye. Faye still looks tired, and slightly sea-sick. I can't say I feel great either.

"When we get out, follow the signs that say _sortie_." I command, feeling very important as French-speaker to the expedition; well, for now!

"What does that mean?" Amanda looks confused.

"Exit!" I laugh. "Noodle!"

"Sorry!" She she grins too.

"_Sortie _E402," Faye adds, peering at the map. "Can you map-read, Alex?"

"Kinda! Why?" I reply.

She hands me the map. "Can you do it for now, so I can get some sleep? _Please_?"

"_Fine_!" I pretend to moan, but actually, I'm delighted they trust me to map-read! "Like Faye said Amanda, E402!" Amanda nods, and our line begins to move off the ferry.

.

Amanda and I talk in low voices so as not to disturb Faye as she's fallen asleep again. She tells me more about what we're going to fight. More about Kullervo and his forces.

Our chapter, being only a small one, doesn't normally have much to do with international threats such as Kullervo. Most of the other people my age have never even been trained in combat! We've just kept quiet, worked hard, and passed our grades. The only noteworthy element of our chapter is Faye's gift with Storm-birds. But in fact, she's so often in London, that she's more a part of the Central London chapter than ours. That's why she doesn't really count.

This summoning of me and Amanda is the only "exciting" thing that has happened to us for a long time.

.

The clock in the dashboard says half past ten, but since we're in France now, it should be half past eleven. I point this out to Amanda, and she changes it. I stretch out in the back seats, squashing rather a lot of luggage, but not caring.

Then I examine a stripy bag keeping my feet cool, thinking it might turn out to contain food. Sadly, it doesn't. All it contains is Amanda's swimming stuff.

I sigh. "Any food Amanda?" I ask hopefully. I get the answer I'm expecting.

"No."

"Shame." I reply, and gaze out of the window. From there I fall into a deep trance, daydreaming.

I wonder what the people we'll meet there will be like, and if anyone famous will be there! I hope there will be! The trustees maybe? Even Connie Lionheart? Then I bring myself back to the E15, France, Earth, and decide that even _if_ they are there, they're not likely to be interested in a grade 3 Phoenix companion. But I may as well ask Amanda what she knows anyway.

"Amanda?" I say.

"Yes, Alex?" She replies, looking at me briefly in the rear-view mirror.

"Who are we gonna meet there?"

"Two French people, also Phoenix companions, called Tara and Katya. And other people I've not been told about, probably."

"Tell me about Tara and Katya?"

"I don't know anything about Katya other than she's a Phoenix companion and her companion, Aurora, is a blue Phoenix. Blue Phoenix are a very rare type of Phoenix. They can freeze things as well as conjuring fire."  
"Coolness!" I exclaim. "That sounds awesome! How about Tara?"

Amanda looks awkward for a moment. I wonder why. "Well," she hesitates.

"What?" I'm curious.

"We were at school together."  
"Wow! That's well cool! Were you friends?"

"Yes . . . and no." She replies, this time determinedly not meeting my eye in the mirror.

"How d'you mean?" I ask.

"Well," she pauses again, clearly debating whether or not to tell me. I decide not to push her. That would be unfair, and unwise considering I'm going to spend the next eighteen hours in a car with her!

"Well," she says again. This time however, she decides to tell me. "Tara and I became friends in year three, and were all the way up to the last term of sixth form. Then she did something I couldn't forgive her for, and we weren't friends any more. I haven't spoken to her since we argued."

"Awkward!" I sympathise. "And now you're going to spend a week in Spain with her?" I can't imagine Amanda arguing with anyone! She's just not the type! I'm _dying_ to know what Tara did, but I don't ask. Firstly I don't want to upset Amanda, and secondly I'm way too shy!

"Yup. Awkward." She agrees, making it firmly the end of the conversation. However there is just one more thing I have to know.

"Who else have you told?" I ask cautiously.

"Just you." Then she puts some music on, making the end of the discussion even clearer than before. I zone out, making up wild theories as to what Tara did. I won't try to deny that I'm desperate to know what Tara did, because that would be a complete lie.

Some my wilder theories include tying her to a palm tree for a month, giving up being nice for Lent, and breaking her antique silver spoon.

Some of the more sensible include stealing her boyfriend, ruining her A level course work, and making everyone in her form hate her. They don't sound much more likely. Nothing I can think of would ruffle my always-calm mentor!


	3. 3 - We have croissants for breakfast

**_Aires_**** - On French motorways, as well as having service stations, there are these places called Aires. Basically, they are car parks that are on motorways. All there is in them are some parking slots, loos, sometimes some picnic tables and occasionally a view point. Mainly they are used by lorry drivers when they have to stop and sleep.**

**I hope you enjoy this chapter, and that you review! ;D**

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Amanda wakes me up an hour later by announcing we're stopping soon.

Five minutes after that, we pull up in a small, dark _Aire_, and Faye wakes up too. The three of us climb out, and take in the night around us. It's cold, but the coldness is refreshing, and we are the only car there.

I rummage around on the back seats, trying to find my sponge-bag, which seems to have vaporised itself. _Faye's goggles . . . beach towel . . . string . . . suncream . . . washing line . . . mini dustpan and brush . . . OUCH! My hairbrush . . . _Well, at least I found it eventually. I drag my spotty sponge-bag out, hairbrush still poking evilly out of the front pocket. That found, I hurry to get ready for sleep.

Amanda is leaning against the car when I come back from the loos. The opportunity is too good to miss! _Maybe_ I could catch her off guard and make her jump?

I drop to all-fours, and scamper sideways so the car blocks me from view. Then I slowly advance, making no sound on the smooth tarmac. Soon I'm right beside the car, only a few metres away from Amanda, ready to spring.

Then suddenly I feel a pair of hands grab my shoulders from behind. I squeak loudly, and flip onto my back, squashing the hands. I stare up at Faye.

"Oi!" I protest, as she drops to the ground beside me, shaking with uncontrollable giggles. I free her hands, feeling slight satisfaction that it probably hurt when I squished them. She doesn't notice though, she's too busy pretending to die of laughter.

"You're evil. There's no need to rub it in!" However I'm smiling as I say it, and I have to admit that it was pretty skilful!

Peering around the edge of the car, Amanda eyes us with concerned surprise written in her raised eyebrows. "What _are _you two doing?" she asks, frowning in puzzlement.

I catch Faye's eye, shrug, and get the giggles too. Amanda shakes her head, and doesn't ask. Probably wise, considering.

Then she flicks her long hair over her shoulders with the air of waking up from a daydream, and announces that we should be going. Faye climbs into the driver's seat, more sensible again, and we set off along the long, dark, empty motorways once more.

I dream peacefully of holidays and beaches, but nothing forms into a proper storyline. When I wake, all I'm left with is a couple of hazy pictures of turquoise waves, and white sand. Very peaceful, but not interesting!

The world comes blurrily back onto focus, still wrapped in darkness. The noise of the car has stopped, which I assume is what woke me. I grope for my water, and have a drink. Then I wake myself up properly.

"Shall I drive now, Faye?" Amanda whispers from somewhere nearby. "I feel more awake."

"Sure," Faye answers, also whispering. "I'll try to get some more sleep, if that's ok?"

"Right."

I stretch, and look around. We've stopped in another _Aire_, another small, dark one. There are a couple of other cars here, but not many. Amanda and Faye are standing just outside, leaning against the car, and the driver's door is wide open which is why I can hear their conversation.

I roll my window down, not bothered enough to actually get out. "Where are we?" I ask. Amanda jumps slightly. "Just past Orleans." She replies. "You ok?"  
"Yup!" I nod, and smile at my mentor. She looks tired, but happy. "You?"

She smiles too. "Surviving!" Then she and Faye get back in the car, and we're off again. This time Amanda puts on some better music from her phone. I don't listen to much though, because I fall asleep almost immediately.

I'm somewhere I recognise. _Lozere_, high up in the _Massif Central_. The altitude signs read around 1300 metres, and it's beautiful! We're surrounded in all directions by pine forests and rolling mountains. Dawn is beginning to glow in the East, and it's so peaceful it's hard to imagine that anywhere in the whole world could be as dangerous as the place we're going.

Then all of us sleep. Faye and Amanda are both too tired to drive now. It takes everyone a while to get comfy, but eventually we all drift off.

When I wake, it's about seven thirty, but I've no idea how long we've slept for because I didn't look at the time before I dropped off. Faye wakes at about the same time as me, and gets out.

I run around the patch of dry grass we are parked near, and do a few split-leaps and a cartwheel, trying to shake off the feeling that a large proportion of my brain is still asleep. If it ever existed in the first place. Faye laughs watching me.

Then she opens the car door to wake Amanda. I stop her. If we haven't woken her with the amount of noise we've already made, she probably doesn't want to be woken.

Inside the Services, I nervously order "_deux cafés au lait, un jus d'orange, et trois croissants avec nutella, s'il vous plait." _Luckily the woman behind the counter knows what I mean, but that _is_ probably because she heard me and Faye discussing what we wanted before I ever tried to ask!

"_Merci beaucoup!_" I smile sweetly, and even Faye manages to say "_merci"_ too, if very quietly!

"I'll wake Amanda now," Faye decides when we get back to the car. She proceeds to shake my mentor gently on the shoulder, and informs her that we have croissants.

"Don't wake her up!" My mentor snaps in her sleep. "She might spill the marshmallows! Anyway, we're in Slovakia!"

The three sentences make so little sense together, that we both start laughing uncontrollably. That finally wakes Amanda.

"What?" She inquires, looking suspiciously at us. "Was I talking in my sleep?"

Faye helplessly hands her the coffee and croissant we got her, and I guess that we'll explain later.

Breakfast is on the go, the three of us uncomfortably squashed in the small car. We all want to get there as soon as possible, and a lack of elbow room is not going to put us off getting some more motorway behind us.

Faye and I, accompanied by more giggling, tell Amanda about what she said in her sleep, and that provides entertainment for a little while. However soon, there isn't much else to say, and I use one of the more useful of my numerous talents: I zone out.

"What exactly are we going to be doing in Spain?" I ask. The time is now about eleven AM, and we're driving past some large salt lakes, with a few very distant glimpses of a shimmering sea. Ahead, the Pyrenees are just visible as distant, hazy-purple forms, rearing up into the sky. I'm not quite sure why now is a good time to ask, but it is.

Faye answers, turning around in the passenger seat to look at me. "Amanda is on the fire-fighting team. That means that if there are any more out-breaks of fire, she'll be on hand to control them. Other than that, she gets a normal holiday. Some people have all the luck!"

"Why? What are you doing?"

"The Evil-fighting. That's what they're calling it anyway. I'm dealing more with the side that could involve defending against Kullervo and his forces, if they turn up. You know, dramatic lightening bolts, and breath-taking Athenian dives to avoid vicious Weather Giants!"

Amanda snorts with laughter. "_Sure!_"

"Oi!" protests Faye, laughing too. "I didn't exaggerate _that_ much! All right, it probably _won't_ come to thrilling battles with Weather Giants, but there's a lot we will be doing. Making battle

plans in case the worst does happen, working out what can be done to protect the local people and those coming to stay there, that sort of thing. Everything to do with the threat of an Evil Power."

"Impressive!" I agree, "and what will I be doing?"

"Keeping out of the way!" Amanda says as firmly as she can when she knows my answer already.

"_Keeping out of the way?_" I repeat in outrage. _How old do they think I am? No way am I 'keeping out of the way'!_

"No." I say aloud. "No tiny, little, miniature, non-existent way." That puts an end to that conversation.


	4. 4 - We arrive at Nautic Almata

_**I realise this has been ages in being uploaded, and I'm very sorry! My excuse? Er, homework? Other stories? General forgetfulness? All three! But here it is! Finally!**_

* * *

"Wow!" exclaims Amanda, as we drive through the barrier announcing _Welcome to Nautic Almata!_ that a receptionist opens for us. "This place looks _amazing_!"

"I know right!" I'm amazed by what I've seen so far too. After dropping Faye in a nearby village called San Pere Pescador, full of restaurants and beach shops, Amanda and I headed to the campsite where we'll be staying. The entrance, once I'd managed to finally locate it on the map and get us there, was a long, pretty track through a nature reserve. Then we drove through a mini-golf course and some other out-buildings that looked as though they might belong to staff, and then under this archway, which contains the barriers and reception. We were given a car sticker to prove we'd booked, and then directed to a large orange and blue tent with the words "Canvas Holidays" on the parasol.

Amanda pulls up outside it, leaving plenty of room for any other vehicles to pass by. It's on the right hand fork of a three-way split. This one labelled _Zona 1-3_ and _Picina_, the middle _Zona 4-7_ and _Playa_, and the left hand one _Zona 8-10_.

A young woman, probably about the same age as Amanda pokes her hear out of the tent at the sound of Amanda's door slamming, and grins broadly when she sees us. "Hi there!" she walks quickly over to us. "Amanda and Alex?" We nod. "Cool! Follow me and I'll show you to your tent! I'm Caroline by the way! Companion to Centaurs!"

Amanda climbs back into the car to follow Caroline, or Carrie as she says she prefers, but I get out of the stuffy car and walk beside Carrie. She pulls the pink hair band from her pony tail, and her long, wavy brown hair flops across her shoulders. She scrapes it back up again, and ties it just as it was before. Then she turns her attention to me.

"So what companion species are you?" she asks in a friendly tone.

"Phoenix!" I reply, smiling. "Amanda is my mentor! Were Centaurs one of the summoned species?"

"No," she replies as we continue up the road labelled _Zona 1-3._ "None of my chapter had any of the species they wanted, there are only ten of us, and so I volunteered to become a courier here to welcome Society members, and help to organise the camping arrangements! It's been great! Amazing tan!" She giggles, and so do I. "And I'm studying for a degree in Spanish, so this is great for my studies. I'm especially interested in all the different variations of Spanish they speak; Catalan being one of them! Mainland Spanish is called Castilian, and one of the other main ones is . . ." She continues to chatter aimlessly about her Spanish course, and I listen, kind of interested. I don't speak Spanish, although I would have liked to take it as an option too. That would be as well as French _and_ Latin. I like languages!

Soon, Carrie leads us into the third row of large orange and blue tents on the right. She stops at the first tent on the left. "This is yours. Katya and Tara should be arriving later in the afternoon. If there's anything you need, just pop down to the main tent and one of my colleagues or I will be there! Got another tent to clean out now! Enjoy yourselves!"

"See ya!" I call.

"Bye!" she waves cheerfully, then hurries off and grabs a large metal wheelbarrow and heads off to another row.

"We're here!" laughs Amanda with a mixture of happiness, excitement, relief, and just her normal hyperness.

"I know right! Yay!" I hi-ten her, and miss. Completely. It just makes everything twice as funny. Then we become slightly more sensible and decide to unpack.

We heave everything out of the hot car into an almost as hot outside, and then Amanda parks the car better; alongside the tent in a more out-of-the-way position. The tent is huge! Standing in the doorway, the kitchen is straight ahead, and contains a fridge, coolbox, cooker, and some racks of cutlery. On the left, and also in front of me is the spacious living area, which until we dumped all of our bags in the middle, contained only a folding table. On my right is one of the pods with two single beds in, and with a clothes rail at one end, and the other pod is opposite me on the back "wall", and slightly to my left, and is what makes the kitchen separate from the living area.

"Bagsie the one with the clothes rail!" Amanda appears at my shoulder, making me jump.

"Sure!" I'm not bothered whether my clothes are crinkled. Inevitably they will be; clothes rail or not. I walk over to the other pod, and unzip it. The zips are weird: one vertical one down the middle, and two horizontal ones going opposite directions along the bottom, outwards from the vertical zip. It does, however, mean you can roll the halves up, and tie them back with the Velcro on the poles on either side which makes it look very inviting.

There are also two single beds in here, and I push one against the kitchen wall, and the other against the outside. I choose the one by the outside; the fridge rattles.

Then I drag in all of my bags, and unpack them, except the clothes. Those I decide can stay in the bag and I shove them under my bed. I add the finishing touch by placing my cuddly horse on my pillow, and sit down for a rest. It's too hot. Way too hot. I decide to change into cooler clothes; namely dark blue mini shorts, and a pink sleeveless top.

Then I walk out of the tent, and drop into a chair around a white plastic table, shaded by a parasol. It's slightly cooler out here, but not much. Amanda, having also unpacked and changed, comes and sits beside me. I look at the clock she's put on the table. Five o'clock, and thirty-two degrees.

"So when do you want to start training?" my mentor seems unbothered by the heat. I envy her. Perhaps she's used to it. She's always telling me about the exotic holidays she goes on each year to the Caribbean, Australia, or on safari in Africa.

"Bleurrrrrrgh." I reply. I always find that _bleurgh_ is a very expressive sound.

"I'm guessing that's not today then!" she laughs.

"Good guess."

We both lean back for a while, lost in our own thoughts, and enjoying the peaceful buzz of activity that we can feel but not hear all around us. Now that I'm not in a stuffy tent any more, I can feel a slight breeze brush past me, and see it whispering in the leaves of a young aspen tree above me. A small bird is singing high in the branches, and a family crunches past on the gravel track, chatting and laughing happily in Dutch. But perhaps best of all is the smell that suggests holidays to me more than any other - the smell of the sea.

My peaceful daydream, or possibly real dream, though I'm never going to admit that I was asleep, is broken by the scrunch of tyres on gravel, and the voice of Carrie introducing some new guests.

I leap up, poke Amanda, who is most definitely asleep, and run over to greet Tara and Katya.

A woman who looks a bit older than Amanda, but who can't be as they were in the same year at school, jumps out. She's a bit taller than my mentor, and her light brown hair is tied in a tight ponytail. She is followed by a girl with, shoulder-length, pale blonde hair and dark brown eyes who looks much older than me. Suddenly, I'm very shy.


End file.
